令和5年度学位記授与式（大学院課程） 式辞

Good afternoon, everyone.

The Tokyo Tech community is pleased to welcome students, parents, family members, staff, and friends to the 2023 Spring Graduation Ceremony for master's and doctoral program students. To begin with, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding graduates completing their degrees today. You have attained successfully an important milestone in your lives. In the face of rapid change and uncertainty, your determination, creativity, and resilience have been truly remarkable, and we celebrate together the culmination of your hard work. I want you to take pride in being members of Tokyo Tech's tenacious Class of 2023.

To the families, friends, and loved ones who have tirelessly offered their comfort and support: Thank you, on behalf of everyone at Tokyo Tech, for entrusting these individuals to us, and for everything you have done during these difficult times.

On this special day, 1,653 students graduate from Tokyo Tech with master's degrees, 25 students complete their professional master's degrees, and 167 students earn their doctoral degrees. Graduates: Throughout your time at the Institute, you have explored not only your technical specializations, but also the liberal arts, humanities, and social sciences, in order to formulate your own distinctive vision of the world. You have collaborated with your peers and trusted mentors to generate fresh, innovative ideas and new value. You have sought the questions and answers that define your path to new discoveries and a better, brighter future. I want to congratulate you for these efforts, and thank you for adding another unique page to the 143-year history of Tokyo Tech.

Looking back, it has been quite a journey, regardless of how long you have spent at the Institute. Just four years ago, the world entered one of the darkest periods in modern history. A new virus suddenly forced people into lonely vacuums, disrupted industries and economies, and fractured global stability. Many of you undoubtedly experienced fear, anxiety, loss, grief, and isolation. However, you stuck together as a community, and, despite all the obstacles that you faced, you are here today, commemorating one of the most important milestones in your lives!

Now that international mobility, collaboration, and business are showing signs of recovery, I encourage you to explore ways in which you can share your newly acquired knowledge with the world. Tokyo Tech has always advocated the global circulation of talent and technology, and many examples in our archives are testament to this. Let me share one such story that began well over 100 years ago.

In the early 1880s, Tokyo Tech's predecessor was one of the only institutions in Japan to offer courses in ceramics. The Ceramics Department was joined in 1884 by Gottfried Wagener, a German advisor to Japan who wanted to help advance the nation's practical technological education. Wagener's knowledge and experience were shared with many students during and after his time at Tokyo Tech.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of Seiichi Tejima, Tokyo Tech's second president, to create a diverse environment, a significant ratio of these students were international students, particularly from East Asia. These included five Chinese students, each of whom ended up serving as president of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, or Keitokuchin Toji Daigaku, between 1912 and 1951. In other words, Tokyo Tech's efforts to innovate practices, advance technology, and train talent, all boosted by the arrival of a mentor from Germany, played a significant role in the development of a hub of ceramics and technology, but also of culture, art, and education, in China. The creation of this kind of positive ripple effect that transcends borders was at the core of Tokyo Tech since its beginnings, and remains firmly in place today.

I believe the ability to create such far-reaching impact also lies within each of you, just as it did in your Tokyo Tech forerunners. I look forward to witnessing the unique ways in which each of you decide to leave your mark. Regardless of the path you choose, however, I urge you to strive to maintain a broad perspective, an openness to new ideas, and a strong resolve to pursue your passions ― the three key qualities that have brought you this far.

Today marks the successful end of one stage in your lives, and the beginning of a new one. As you look forward to future challenges, so too does the Institute with the creation of a completely new university, named Institute of Science Tokyo, or Tokyo Kagaku Daigaku, together with Tokyo Medical and Dental University. This integration will fortify and diversify our abilities to search for truth and reason, and push the boundaries of technology for the betterment of humankind. It will not, however, change the fact that you are all lifelong members of the Tokyo Tech community. Regardless of our evolution and continuous pursuit of new challenges, we will cherish our traditions and welcome you here with open arms. The Institute and the Tokyo Tech Alumni Association, or Kuramae Kogyokai, are always here to engage with you. Reach out to us when you can! Join the Tokyo Tech Online Community to stay connected and share the impact you create.

To conclude, I want to draw your attention to the Tokyo Tech Seal, the swallow by the window. This seal symbolizes the Institute as a hub of technical innovation from which the windows of the world open up to its members. You entered this window seeking knowledge, guidance, motivation, and excitement. Today, you are standing at this same window, facing the world, ready to take flight.

Class of 2023: Continue to seek new challenges and opportunities with resilience, persistence, and passion. Continue to pursue your own path while sharing your knowledge to create a better, brighter future!

ご家族をはじめ、皆さんをこれまで支えてくださった方々に、東京工業大学を代表して、感謝と心よりのお祝いを申し上げます。
後ろに掲げられている東工大のシンボルマーク。本日は、このツバメの下で行われる、最後の春の学位記授与式です。
ツバメは、皆さん一人一人であり、また東工大そのものです。一緒に羽ばたいていきたい。それが私の願いです。
修了生の皆さん。修了、おめでとう！

March 26, 2024
Kazuya Masu
President, Tokyo Tech